Moccasin Flowers Analysis

  
All my life,
so far,
I have loved
more than one thing,

including the mossy hooves
of dreams, including'
the spongy litter
under the tall trees.

In spring
the moccasin flowers
reach for the crackling
lick of the sun

and burn down. Sometimes,
in the shadows,
I see the hazy eyes,
the lamb-lips

of oblivion,
its deep drowse,
and I can imagine a new nothing
in the universe,

the matted leaves splitting
open, revealing
the black planks
of the stairs.

But all my life--sofar--
I have loved best
how the flowers rise
and open, how

the pink lungs of their bodies
enter the fore of the world
and stand there shining
and willing--the one

thing they can do before
they shuffle forward
into the floor of darkness, they
become the trees.

.: :.

Moccasin Flowers

*Moccasin Flowers are a uncommon orchard found in New England Woods. Also called a lady slipper because of their shape. The flower is usually pink

All my life,
so far,
I have loved
more than one thing,

including the mossy hooves
of dreams, including'
the spongy litter
under the tall trees.

* setting the mood with "mossy hooves of dreams" perhaps an allusion to insubstantial substantiality of dreams - then moving to "the spongy litter under the tall trees" closing in on the theme of the poem.

In spring
the moccasin flowers
reach for the crackling
lick of the sun

* I see "crackling" as the mottled sunlight dancing and shimmering on the floor of the forest - this also evokes the image of fire and energy. "and burn down" echos the theme of fire and brings out the theme of life and death.

and burn down. Sometimes,
in the shadows,
I see the hazy eyes,
the lamb-lips

of oblivion,
its deep drowse,
and I can imagine a new nothing
in the universe,

* The hazy eyes, the lamb-lips" refering to the bloom of the Lady Slipper. In seeing the flower she also sees its ultimate oblivion, its becoming a "new nothing in the universe"

the matted leaves splitting
open, revealing
the black planks
of the stairs.

* a lovely image of a stairway to oblivion decending into the earth

But all my life--sofar--
I have loved best
how the flowers rise
and open, how

the pink lungs of their bodies
enter the fore of the world
and stand there shining
and willing--the one

* the affirmation of love for life. The willingness to shine

thing they can do before
they shuffle forward
into the floor of darkness, they
become the trees.

* in the end there is not oblivion but transformation. the flowers return to the earth and the earth becomes the trees.

Jerry


| Posted on 2007-03-26 | by a guest

.: :.

Moccasin Flowers

*Moccasin Flowers are a uncommon orchard found in New England Woods. Also called a lady slipper because of their shape. The flower is usually pink

All my life,
so far,
I have loved
more than one thing,

including the mossy hooves
of dreams, including'
the spongy litter
under the tall trees.

* setting the mood with "mossy hooves of dreams" perhaps an allusion to insubstantial substantiality of dreams - then moving to "the spongy litter under the trees" closing in on the theme of the poem.

In spring
the moccasin flowers
reach for the crackling
lick of the sun

* I see crackling as the mottled sunlight dancing and shimmering on the floor of the forest - this also evokes the image of fire and energy. "and burn down" echos the theme of fire and brings our the theme of life and death.

and burn down. Sometimes,
in the shadows,
I see the hazy eyes,
the lamb-lips

of oblivion,
its deep drowse,
and I can imagine a new nothing
in the universe,

* The hazy eyes, the lamb-lips" refering to the bloom of the Lady Slipper. In seeing the flower she also sees its ultimate oblivion, its become a "new nothing in the universe"

the matted leaves splitting
open, revealing
the black planks
of the stairs.

* a lovely image of the stairway to oblivion decending into the earth

But all my life--sofar--
I have loved best
how the flowers rise
and open, how

the pink lungs of their bodies
enter the fore of the world
and stand there shining
and willing--the one

* the affirmation of love for life. The willingness to shine

thing they can do before
they shuffle forward
into the floor of darkness, they
become the trees.

* in the end there is not oblivion but transformation. the flowers return to the earth and the earth becomes the trees.

Jerry


| Posted on 2007-03-26 | by a guest